I had to give a personal review of this book since it moved me greatly after I read it.  I think lots of veterans can identify with the emotional denial that John went through coming back from combat in Vietnam.  He spends his life trying to make things work in his life but there is always that unresolved inner anger that most Nam vets had when they returned but who tried to bravely move on with their lives in spite of that inner demon time bomb.

I can feel what John did and admire him for putting his life out there for others to examine and judge.  If it helps just one more veteran come to grips with PTSD then his book and all that he has gone through will be worth it.

He also deals with some family issues that bring him to a full understanding of his relationship with life, with God and with the whole meaning of it all.  I was proud of John’s personal fight to recover his emotional life — I hope that thousands of veterans and their families buy and read his book so that they will better understand what PTSD is all about and how you can turn things around.  If you just read the inner book cover notes from his wife Sandy I think you will be hooked on the story.  This book is about love and healing even if there was pain and suffering.

Other Reviews for Wounded Body - Healing Spirit

"Senka's book is well overdue!…This is a must read for all men and women who have experienced combat up close and personal…Senka carries the reader to the very depths of depression and trauma, but does not leave them there—he brings the reader back to the light of the healing process and the hope for a brighter future and a greater quality of life. Every clinician that treats war-related PTSD should read Senka's work and encourage their clients to read it also."

Father Philip G. Salois, M.S.

National Chaplain, Vietnam Veterans of America, and

Founder, National Conference of Vietnam Veteran Ministers

"An extraordinary story about a twenty year old, seriously wounded Vietnam veteran who returned to the real world with the will and courage to fight a greater battle to heal his body and mind from the ravages of war. Reading it is a must for all combat veterans and their families—past, present, and future."

Daniel J. Mulcahey

Command Sgt. Major USA (Ret.)

11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

"Senka's book is an extremely interesting, inspirational, and honest depiction of how Post-Traumatic Stress leading to severe depression can significantly impact one's journey through life. His book would be helpful to anyone whose mental and physical health, family, and career have been adversely affected by this increasingly-recognized psychological disorder."

Ronald J. Kaplan, Ph.D.

Clinical Psychologist

"Veterans exposed to the horrors of combat and returned home with 'invisible' wounds will relate to this book; others will have a chance to understand them."

Norman F. Quirion, Ph.D.

PTSD Specialist

About the book from author’s website:

About the book:

John T. Senka matured into the difficult times of the Vietnam War.  His daily challenges were not different from those that other people face every day, but the Vietnam experience was boiling deep within.  Senka's baring of his soul is intended to help all who face their own demons to carry their own crosses.

As a decorated member of Charlie Co. 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry "Manchus," John was seriously wounded at "Mole City" on December 22, 1968 during a Christmas truce.  It was a suicide mission for the NVA — they had their grave markers strapped to their backs.  As a last resort, his unit called in artillery fire on their own base camp.

Although combat is described, this is not a bang! bang! shoot-'em-up Vietnam War story.  It is about the effect of the experiences during and after combat.  John describes his life following the Mole City Fight, his long hospital confinement, and his struggle to fully return to civilian life.  It is an experience shared by many Vietnam veterans.

After the war, John seemed to live an ordinary life with intermittent tragedies and challenges.  He was able to overcome each one and move on with his life, but the Vietnam factor remained hidden.

After nearly three decades, the traumatic feelings that were buried deep within resurfaced.  Once described as a tough son of a bitch, he was now totally incapacitated with both Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and acute clinical depression.  This was the greatest challenge of his life.

PTSD is more than a wound to the body and mind.  It is also a wound to the soul.  This book is a frank and open discussion of these wounds.  It describes in depth the cross he carried and how it transformed his life.

This book will be helpful and thought-provoking for all veterans and their families.  Wives of Vietnam veterans should read this book — it is the story of their trauma, too.  It will also help those whose lives have been touched by depression, trauma, or other soul-wrenching obstacles.

Life is a journey of the spirit.  Wounded Body - Healing Spirit is a story of that journey.

Non-fiction, 279 pages.